February 01, (THEWILL) — Former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Michael Aondoakaa (SAN), has disclosed that the All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership under the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, and former Governor Samuel Ortom of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are working together to stop Governor Hyacinth Alia’s re-election bid in 2027.
The former minister made the disclosure at the residence of Chief Ortom in Makurdi during a solidarity visit by appointees who served under the previous administration.
Aondoakaa, who is seeking to lead Benue State under the APC platform in 2027, noted that the state will no longer allow a leader who is “eating alone” from the state’s purse to be re-elected.
He described Governor Alia as self-centered and argued that the governor has fallen short of the expectations of the Benue people.
He praised former Governor Ortom for carving a niche for himself through purposeful and inclusive governance.
Three governorship aspirants under the PDP—Professor Dennis Ityavyar, Terkaa Ucha, and Tersoo Loko—also spoke during the event.
In their separate goodwill messages, they described Ortom as a leader with the passion to sustain his followers, as evidenced by the large crowd at the solidarity visit.
Ucha credited former Governor Ortom with securing Benue communities through the sponsorship of the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law of 2017.
He promised to follow in Ortom’s footsteps if elected in 2027.
Aondoakaa also used the occasion to address the state’s security challenges, reiterating his recent call for the federal government to prioritize Benue in its anti-terror operations.
He acknowledged the roles of both Senator Akume and Chief Ortom in promoting political unity and urged continued collaboration to lift the state out of its current challenges.
